The Redemption of the Devil
by Yashodoa
Summary: A devil came across a interesting soul and formed a contract. Little did he know, it would be his own soul that may be redeemed by the heiress of the Phantomhive. Rating T for mention of violence, blood, rape and etc. Like in the Manga and Anime.
1. My Butler, the Devil

Kuroshitsuji Fan Fiction

Sebastian/Ciel

Copyright: Not mine. Just playing with the characters. Yana Toboso/Square Enix

Warning: English grammar errors. English is my second language (ASL is my first).

 **The Redemption of the Devil**

 **Prologue: My Butler, the Devil  
**

It was said a long time ago that the demons, fallen angels, are damned. Perhaps they are, for they were created by the Creator to serve Him and to keep everything holy. There was one, the Morning Star, who the most beautiful and one of the trio of the archangels that commanded a third of the angels in heaven. He loved his Creator and his brothers with all of his heart, his being, and his divine soul. Until man came. When the Creator created Adam and to the Morning Star's surprise, not only they were given soul of their own, they were also given spirit as well, the spirit of the Creator. The Creator deemed man special and loved him very much a companion was made for him, a female. The perfection, because she was last to be made.

The Morning Star saw this and for the first time, felt jealousy. The jealousy grew and festered in him. Adam, the man and his mate, Eve were so beautiful, so pure and innocent frolicking in the garden and their souls and spirits shone brighter than the morning star in the sky. He seethed and simmered as he watched the two, daily, going on a walk with the Creator. It wasn't fair, the love from the Creator belonged to him and the other Angels! His third hoard of angels also felt the same, they resonated with his feeling. They agreed that man was a mistake, and especially Eve! The perfect one, the last one created, and with ability given to her that no one but the Creator could do, the ability to create life.

The Creator knew, no matter how the beautiful archangel tried to hide his feelings. He cast him out of heaven, forgotten and sealed away. The Morning Star was no more, for he became Lucifer, the dark one.

However, once an archangel, he knew how to get back and put the motion in his eternal game of chess with the Creator by making the move. Eve bit the forbidden fruit and humanity fell out of the grace and for thousands of years became pawns of the two powers. Faith tested and broken over and over again. Fallen angels ran rampant, copulating with humans, pulling them down out of Grace and destroying their faith and their souls consumed. The world ran with sinners, half-breed, and damnation. Temptation and sin festered and covered the world whole, the flood came and wiped them clean, a grace was given. Yet, Lucifer persisted and once again, the black side of the chess board seemed to prosper until the Son came and gave a key to humanity to find salvation out of the darkness. A new game begun and the players were no longer in control. The pawns took control of their own fate and it was up to them to choose.

 **January 1886**

Black clawed fingers dripped with dark ruby liquid and tongue flicked out to catch the gleaming red drops. Lips curled almost cat-like as the thirst sated. Ruby eyes glowed from the depth of darkness that curled a tall figure, glancing down at the body at his boots, mauled and bloodless. The soul was bittersweet, the contract was short and boring as it has been of late. He glanced around before taking to the sky like a black raven, unseen against the black winter sky. How long has it been? Far too long, he thought. Five... No, six thousand years since the fall from grace. He sighed and glanced around the quiet night seeking for something new. His journey was slow and languid, sometimes he would go a long time between the consuming the souls. But he was bored.

He decided to walk among the human and quickly found an alley and came down from the sky. It was a cold evening in late Victoria London. Whores and drunkards would start creeping out after the civilized ones close their doors and shut the window curtains for the night soon. It was the twilight of the day and he shifted into a handsome man of high-class in black. He smirked to himself as he walked out of the alley and into the street. There were still dignified people about but thinning down. He glanced about casually as he walked, bright green and red decoration hung from the lamp posts. Christmas, he sneered at the thought, has come to pass and a new year rang in. A paper fluttered across his feet and he picked it up to see the headline.

 **PHANTOMHIVE HEIR STILL MISSING, POSSIBLY PRESUMED DEAD.**

Ah, that. Are they still going on about it now? He mused as he scanned down the article. The head of the Phantomhive household and his wife were found dead, the mansion burned down a month before. The child was missing. He knew about it because he saw it happened and passed on by. It was just typical. The Phantomhive kid wasn't the first, and perhaps not the last. He folded the paper and kept walking some distance and dropped it in a bin nearby. He may be a demon, yet he has the class to keep his territory clean and London was his.

It was getting late and people were already into their safety of home and the uncouth ones were coming out. He ignored the seductive attempts of the street whores and glanced about, it was one of these cold nights where nothing really happened. How dull.

Then, he felt it. A soul so strong and shining bright. It burned with such purity and at the same time ferociously. His curiosity peaked and he took to the sky with a quick wisp of smoke and started going from roof to roof in a streak of black mass until he found an old abandoned mansion on the edge of London. He knew of the area, often murders and attempts of satanic rituals (pathetic and feeble, of course) occur here. He could feel the soul within the belly of the mansion among many other weeping ones, so young, tainted and broken. Not this bright one. He wonders, would this soul summon the likes of him. It's bound to be interesting, now that he is here and his curiosity peaked, even more, when he could sense the bright soul growing determined every minute.

Like a shadow, he made his way into the abandoned mansion, going toward the bright soul like a moth to a flame. He found the basement easily enough and slipped in. Ah, a sort of ritual was happening. He could see cages lining the wall to one side in the shadows. There were children in them, clinging to each other. They looked thin, broken and weeping. Some appeared beyond broken, staring out blankly. He licked the air quickly, tasting the foul air. Demons love this kind of things, but he grimaced. It was foul, bitter and tasted like the bowel of hell. He wasn't the kind of demon that came from the depth of hell. He was once a hybrid human that once roamed earth a long time ago but died only to go to hell to become a demon like his sire. His sire was a demon that coupled with a human and bore him. There was only handful of half-breeds like him left in the world from the old days before Noah and his Ark. Most perished because they were weak or simply ceased, for they do in fact carried the soul of a human, something given to them by the mothers. He knew his own soul damned and buried deep within himself, tiny and black. It did not matter.

He curled up on a high window and watched with distaste as humans clothed in robes, chanting around a raised altar in the middle. The symbol etched on the stone altar and he could make out the shape, dark and shadowed against the blood stain. It was circular with what looked like snakes wrapped around a staff. He scoffed softly and watched as several cult members on the side pull out a couple of children from the cage, dragging them by the collar and chain. The children wept and yelled as they were beaten, prodded and raped. He searched for the bright soul that was within the room and became interested as a couple of cult members pulled out a thin child from the cage, only dressed in a bloody rag of a shirt. The child's hair was matted and stained and he could tell that the hair was shorn and perhaps once grayish blue.

The child gritted its teeth, being dragged toward the center of the circle and thrown on the altar. The demon watched, leaning forward from his perch. The bright soul was the kid. He can see the color of the child's eyes, brilliant sapphire blue, shining with hate, determination and desires for revenge. He grinned, almost salvaging at the thought of how satisfying the soul would taste. Oh, now he wanted the child to summon him. His hands gripped on the edge as he watched the human cult drone on loudly around him in chants. He nearly giggled out loud, it was a feeble pathetic attempt of summoning demons. It wouldn't work. It was all wrong and they were idiots. He chuckled as he watched. The child pulled weakly at the chain, strapped to the altar and unable to move. Come on, summon me. He thought as he watched on as the human leader of the cult raised the dagger above the child. His eyes glowed red. It would be pitiful if the child died and the bright soul vanished. Summon… come on.

Almost as if the child heard the demon, shouted, "Please! Help me!" Almost immediately, everything froze around the child on the altar as if time stopped. The candles dimmed and the place became dark. The demon stepped down from his perch and approached the child with a smirk, shadows cloaked him.

"Oh, you are a small one." The demon chuckled as he got a better look upon the child.

Blue eyes widened and glanced toward the dark shadow to the side, "Who are you?"

"I am whoever you wish of me, for a price."

"Whatever! Kill them all and get me out of here!" The child snapped ferociously and the demon chuckled silently as he detected annoyance.

"Of course. We can forge a contract and once your wish granted, your soul is mine."

"Yes! Whatever it takes." The child growled with clear annoyance.

"If you once rejected the faith, you can never pass through the gates of heaven." The demon warned.

The child nearly growled as blue eyes stared at the blood-red eyes that glowed within the darkness that shrouded the figure. "Would someone who believes in God summon you?"

The demon stepped toward the altar and looked down at the child, with a single claw to the shackle, it broke free. He helped the child to sit up and stepped back, bowing. "What is your wish?"

"I want the power to take revenge on those who mistreated me. Those who killed my parents."

"Very good, where shall I put the contract? The more visible it is, the stronger the contract will be."

"Wherever!" The child snapped.

The demon reached to lay his hand on the child's face, covering the right eye and a seal formed within the eye and the child screamed in pain. "It is done. What do you want me to do?"

"Kill them all!"

Time resumed and chaos whipped around the room in an instant. The demon flew around the room and the cult members fell to their death in a bloody mess. The children screamed and suddenly, it was silent. The demon gathered the child and shot out of the room and out of the abandoned mansion. With few more commands, the mansion burned down.

Standing in the field before the burning mansion, the child stood before the demon who took a disguise as a tall handsome man with red eyes, bowing like a servant. "Sebastian Michaelis will be your name. I am Ciel Phantomhive."

Sebastian took a slight start at the name looked up and grinned. He grasped the child falling faint into his arms and stood up. "Ah, such a soul for a girl to hold. This will be interesting," he noted more to himself as the rag fell apart, falling free from the body, revealing the child's gender to him. He took to the sky, holding the Phantomhive heiress carefully.

 **LadyCielPhantomhiveLadyCielPhantomhiveLadyCielPhantomhive**

I have just discovered this wonderful series and fell in love with the story. I have only seen first two seasons of the Anime on Netflix and own first two volume of the manga. I am working on collecting the manga so I can get full picture of the story and all that. I am basing my knowledge of what I have seen and read so far. Of course, I thought to try a story where Ciel is a girl. Why? Why not? I have done it few times already with other stories and they were successful hit and the name Ciel itself is unisex, meaning sky in French or also could mean Heaven. Seeing this is late 1800s and just right before 1900s, before the women rights and all that. I want to see how Ciel, as a female, react to the situation in her position as the heiress of Phantomhive house and Fantom business. I'll be skimming through the series (mostly the anime series), touching on familiar arc and so but only to bring in my own idea. It's been a long time since I wrote a fan fiction and I am on a summer break and if I am encouraged enough, I might go on and work on this story to please you all, have patience with me. Reviews and feedbacks are greatly appreciated. Rating might rise through the story, we'll see how it goes. Thank you and enjoy!


	2. My Butler, the Healer, and Comforter

Previous chapter reviews:

 **Suntan104:** Thank you. I missed writing fanfictions too. Glad you like it so far.

 **Guest:** What a funny question. Don't insult me by jumping the gun. I have nothing against LGBT and have many friends who are part of the LGBT. This is a fan fiction and there is nothing wrong with trying different ideas and creating them into stories for a just pleasure of it. Gender-bending is a specialty of mine because I like to write in that genre. Think carefully: anyone who is against LGBT (religious people, obviously) would not read or watch the Kuroshitsuji series since it is heavily implied with hints of yaoi, transgender and occults. I am a fan of the series, therefore, I am not against LGBT. Grell will remain transgendered here. If you don't like the story, then buzz off. Thank you for the review.

 **The Redemption of the Devil**

 **Chapter One: My Butler, the Healer, and Comforter  
**

Ciel's eyes blinked open to see that she was in a hospital. Moaning slightly as the pain wracked her tiny frame as she turned over and found a man sitting next to her bed, reading a book. He looked sharp, dressed in the butler uniform and his hair hanging down to frame his handsome face. She could see the red eyes scanning the words before looking up to meet her cobalt one. She reached up to feel her head and realized one of her eyes were bandaged and she was dressed in a fresh hospital gown.

"Where am I?" She murmured, memories were hazy as they began to filter back, becoming clear with each second. Her head throbbed. Ah, that's right. Her home burned down, her parents killed and kidnapped by the cult. She winced and reached to her side to feel the burning wound, a seal of the cult branded there. She flickered her eye to the man standing up from his chair and bowing slightly, a gloved hand over his chest. Now she remembered him as the memory swirled in her mind, pain, despair, blackness, an agreement and excruciating pain, so much blood and more fire.

Memories became clear as she recalled the night before, seeing the abandoned mansion burned to ground and fainting for a bit. Only to be awoken before the Phantomhive manor or what was left of it. It was then she had delivered her order, setting ground rules with the demon and gave him a name since he had none. She looked to him once again, "Sebastian Michaelis."

"My lady." He bowed his head and stood upright, a placid smile upon his lips. "You are in a hospital. You were exhausted and I brought you here."

She nodded as she looked around the room. It was a private room, obviously, they knew who she was and placed her there. The door opened and she watched as the woman in the doctor coat come in, she had brilliant red hair. She knew the woman. "Aunt An?" She whispered.

"Oh!" The female doctor looked up from her clipboard and smiled. "Ciel. You are awake. I am so happy!" She rushed to the bedside and swallowed as she noticed the child flinched and leaned toward the man in black, she sighed and allowed the child space. "He brought you here last night. I was the one who treated you and well, I don't know what happened. I can't help you anymore unless you tell me what happened."

Ciel shook her head softly, "It doesn't matter. I am fine. I want to go home."

Aunt An, or rather, Doctor Angelina Burnett shifted, "I see. Well, I will need to keep you here for one more night to make sure you recover nicely and the Scotland Yard wish to speak with you once you were awake."

Ciel narrowed her eye and shook her head, "No. I don't want to talk to anyone. I'll stay here one more night, but I am going home tomorrow." She turned her head, "Sebastian. See it to it that I am going home in the morning and I do not wish to talk to anyone regarding my disappearance."

The butler bowed his head as he recognized the order, "As you wish, my lady. If I may take your leave, I will prepare for your homecoming," he saw Ciel nod and he was gone.

"Who is he? I have never seen him before." Aunt An asked as she glanced to the doorway where the butler disappeared.

Ciel laid down and turned her back to the woman, "He found me and now is my butler. Assuming none of my household servants remained."

"Actually, the steward is still alive, Tanaka. I can ring him and have him come to see you."

"Thank you," Ciel replied softly and closed her eyes, the headache was becoming unbearable.

After denying the Scotland Yard to pester her and reuniting with her family's steward, Lady Ciel Phantomhive came home.

"My lady, I hope this is sufficient for you. I have gone and hired three servants for the household as well." Sebastian bowed slightly as he helped Ciel out of the carriage in front of the mansion. The girl, so small and frail, dressed in a blue and black gown that Sebastian had brought to her that morning, stepped down and stood to gaze upon the stone building, an exact replica of the mansion that burned down not a month before.

"How…" She whispered in slight awe as she took in the detail.

He heard her and smirked, "A butler of Phantomhive that can't do much isn't worth the salt." She narrowed her eye to the demon and suspected she would be hearing the line more than she cared for and saw his devilish smile, "I am merely one hell of a butler," he finished. Of course, he had done all of this, he is a demon after all. Deciding it was wise to not ask anymore.

The three servants stood in front of the door, dressed accordingly to their positions of the household bowed. Sebastian took her hand and they approached the servants. He gestured to the first, the young boy a few years older than Ciel with blond hair and a hat hanging down his back, "Finnian, the groundskeeper. He swears his loyalty to the Phantomhive with his strength." The boy grinned, happily as he bowed at the waist. Ciel gave a nod and allowed Sebastian guide her to the next servant, a tall rugged blond man with goggles around his neck. She can see that he is dressed in cook attire. "Baldory, the household chef. He swears his loyalty to the Phantomhive with his guardianship." The man smirked as he bowed much like Finnian as Ciel moved on to the next servant, a maid. "Mey-Rin, the house maid and swears her loyalty to the Phantomhive with her sharp eyes." Ciel had to raise her eyebrow as she noticed the fogged up glasses upon the magenta-haired woman's face. The woman curtsied and Ciel turned to the older man and Sebastian let go of her hand, "Tanaka, the Phantomhive Steward." He turned to her and bowed, "Lastly, myself as your personal butler."

Ciel gave a small smile at the old man and nodded at the demon. She turned to the others, "Thank you for employing for the Phantomhive household." She sighed and turned to Sebastian, "I am tired."

"Of course, my lady." Sebastian bowed and with a quick motion, he picked her up bridal style and she clutched onto him as he swept her into the house. She had noted while they passed through the household that everything looked exactly as if the fire had never consumed the building. Sebastian brought her to her room and set her down, taking her overcoat and hat and she crawled in the bed, curling up into a tight ball. A tear rolled down her face from her eye as she stared out of the window. Sebastian came to her side and removed her shoes and pulled the cover over her, "I'll allow you to rest and return with dinner later." He saw her give a small nod.

He left the room and closed the door behind him and leaned against it. It will be a while before the child recovers from the ordeal. He could have simply consumed her soul right after he had destroyed the cult, but the contract would not have been fulfilled for there were others out there. He recalled her words from the other night when they made the contract. Ciel had made three requests; to protect her and never betray her until her revenge is complete. Obey every order unconditionally and never lie to her. He chuckled, for a child so small, with a brilliant bright soul, it was an unusual contract and he knew it would be interesting. He turned his head to listen against the door, he could hear her hitched breath. It will be a while before they can actually start searching for the people responsible for her suffering, but until then, he had no qualm being her butler. After all, wandering about and consuming souls for thousands of years was becoming tedious. He pushed away from the door, knowing Ciel was crying herself to sleep and went on to see about dinner.

 **LadyCielPhantomhiveLadyCielPhantomhiveLadyCielPhantomhive**

A scream rang in the mansion, "No! Don't touch me!" A slap echoed in the bedroom of the lady of the household. Sebastian stepped into the bedroom to find Ciel huddled against the headboard of her bed, tears streaming down her face and Mey-Rin looking distraught, holding her hands to her chest.

"My lady?" He approached the bed and Ceil scrambled to clutch onto his jacket and hide behind his back. "What has transpired here?" He asked.

Mey-Rin bowed before the two, "I came here as you asked me to, to help Lady Ciel. I went to help her with her gown but she…" She stopped, not wanting to say any more to put a fault on the young lady.

"I see." Sebastian commented softly and turned his head to Ciel huddling behind him, "My Lady if you will allow me." He saw her blue eye flick up to him with a glare and smirked slightly, "I sent Mey-Rin to help you with your clothes and bath."

"No." Ciel spat, her glare seemed to shoot dagger as she withdrew further behind Sebastian. Mey-Rin remained in her bowed state before the butler and the girl.

"My lady?" Sebastian asked, "Surely, Mey-Rin can help you with bathing and dressing. After all, it is proper for a lady to have a handmaiden."

The girl looked up and with her tiny fist on his pants curled tightly, "I don't want anyone to help me but you. I don't trust anyone."

Mey-Rin softly asked, "may I?" She heard the butler's non-comment noise giving her permission and stood up straight. "Perhaps it would be best if you humor our lady. There are only a few of us servants here and we will not embarrass the lady to public about her preference who serves her personally. In public eyes, I would be her handmaiden, but behind the closed doors, it would be you."

Ciel gave a small nod against Sebastian's hip and the butler gave a single nod in agreement. Mey-Rin smiled, "until she is more comfortable if she wishes. My lady." She bowed and left quietly from the room. It had been a month since Ciel came home and she had remained most of her time in her room recovering. Sebastian had seen to her every need and had thought it would be proper for Mey-Rin to take over the role but only to find Ciel adamantly refusing anyone else to serve her personally.

"Very well. As you wish, my lady." Sebastian turned to Ciel as he felt her let go of his pants. She sat on her bed, watching him with a single eye as he prepared for her bath and laid out her night clothes on the bed. He turned to her and gestured to the bathroom, "the bath is ready to your liking." She hopped off from the bed and brushed past him into the bathroom and stood by the bathtub. He knelt beside her and unbuttoned her gown. After a few minutes of silence, she was undressed and slipped into the hot water. He moved to the end of the bath and poured water over her hair. He asked quietly, "until you feel strong enough to face the public, what will you do?"

She glanced up at him as he scrubbed her head with shampoo, "My father's company, the Fantom business, has it gone as well?"

"No, my lady. It is your company now and you may do what you wish to it." He replied as he doused her head once again and started to wash her arm with the soapy washcloth.

"I see. I wish to keep the business going since it is my source of income for now," she replied and allowed him to wash her other arm and leaned back, pulling her leg up for him to wash. She observed that her legs were thin much like her arms. She has always been a small girl, asthmatic like her mother and often easily to become ill, especially during colder weather. She had just turned eleven but in appearance, she looked no more than a seven years old child. Her hair had been shorn during her captivity but Sebastian had trimmed her hair before she left the hospital and commented that her hair would regrow back to its original length. She had decided then to remain out of the public eyes until her hair was long enough. It would give her enough time to recover from the ordeal. Every night, she dreamed of her parents' death, the burning of the mansion and her captivity. She thrashed and turned, screaming and crying. It was raw and painful.

Yet, every time she had night terrors, she would wake to find Sebastian beside her bed, a calming tea in hands and stroking her head. Little by little, her nightmare started to lessen it's strangling hold on her. She knew it was a long way before she would have a dreamless night. She smirked slightly as she stared at herself in the mirror on the other end of the bath. How ironic, the only being in the entire world she trusted now was the very demon from hell. Her eyes flickered to him as he stood and held out the large towel, waiting for her to step out of the bath. She stood and allowed him to wrap around her and lifted her up to carry her back into the bedroom and dress her for bed.

Tucked under the thick cover, she grasped his hand before it left the bed, "Sebastian," She saw his blood-red gaze flick to her face, it was unreadable but it did not matter. The contract protected her despite who he is. "Were there others like me? The contracts?"

He smirked and turned fully to her, withdrawing his hand softly from under her hand and bowed. "I have had many contracts and devoured thousands of soul for thousands of years. However…" he softly whispered as he knelt beside her and brushed her hair aside to expose her other eye, purple with the Faustian symbol within. "None like you. You are different." As soon he said, he stood and bowed his head, "Good night, my lady." He blew out the candles and left. She knew he would return hours later to recover her from her night terror. She couldn't help but feel the flutter deep in her heart, realizing he told the truth.

He stepped out of the door and closed it behind him with a soft click. Glancing at his pocket watch, he assumed he had couple hours to finish the chores around the house and return with a tea for his mistress. Deep in his demonic heart, he was surprised at his own words. Because of the contract, he could not tell a lie to her and the truth came out. She was different, she was special. Surely, with a strong pure soul, she would bound to be a delicious feast when the time came, but it wasn't because of that. What else? He wondered as he walked silently down the darkened hallway, perhaps time will tell and he grinned to himself, he had plenty of it.

 **LadyCielPhantomhiveLadyCielPhantomhiveLadyCielPhantomhive**

A year nearly passed and the Phantomhive household settled into its usual routine where Sebastian served the young Lady Ciel, helping her to recover from her ordeal and took upon himself to be her tutors in academic, music and dancing and in turn, she taught him how to be the best butler. The servants went on keeping the Phantomhive mansion in top notch condition. Letters came and went from people that wished to see Ciel and she turned them all away with excuse needing time to recover. The Funtom business thrived under her handling along with Sebastian's help and became better than it was when it was under her father's management.

In the year time, she came to become more confident and took up on a hobby of horse-riding, hunting and keeping up with the current news of London and Europe. It was unusual for a woman of her status to be the head of the household, let alone do all the things men would do but she did not care. She was Lady Phantomhive and she will do what she wish as long she has Sebastian by her side, she was becoming a force to be reckoned.

On a cold mid-December morning, Ciel woke to the knock on her door and Sebastian coming in her room bearing a tray of tea and breakfast. She sat up and brushed her gray-blue hair from her face, it had been growing out, almost nearly to the original length down her back. She yawned as he set the tray on her lap and poured the tea for her. "This morning, it is English breakfast tea with summer cornflower. Poached egg and toast and apricot glazed scone."

She took the tea and sipped it before setting it down on her tray, taking the newspaper and reading the headline. Sebastian moved about her room in a soft whisper, lighting the fireplace that had died during the night and pushing open the curtain to bring in the light. Her outfit for the day was chosen and laid out on her bed. She noted it was olive green and frowned, "No. I want black for today."

"My Lady?" He asked as he picked up the gown. "Black? Surely you would want to wear something with color."

"Not today. Today is December fourteenth."

His eyes grew slightly before closing to nod. "As you wish, my lady." He turned and returned the olive green dress to the closet and pulled out a long black gown with laces, little frills, and ribbon roses. "Will this suffice?" He asked as he held it up. He saw her take a glance at the gown and nodded. It had been a year to date since that fateful night, he also realized it was her birthday. She had turned twelve years old.

Once breakfast was finished, he helped her into the black gown and she moved to sit at her vanity table. He took the brush and begun to comb her long blue-grey hair that shone steel in the low light. "It is also Lady's birthday today."

"I would not prefer to consider my birthday today. It is the day my parents died. I wish to visit their graves."

"Very good. When would you consider the turn of your age?" He asked as he pulled her hair in pigtails and took the warm curling iron that was heating over the candle.

"I am twelve today, yes," she replied as he curled her hair with care, watching him in the mirror while her hands played with the jewelry she would wear for the day. "But the day I am reborn was the day we made the contract." She told him and saw him smile his devilish smile.

"As you wish, my lady." He bowed his head as he let her hair go and replaced the curling iron. "May I ask?"

She stood up and handed him her necklace, "You may ask me anything, within reasons." She told him and turned her back to him so he would put the necklace around her neck.

Draping the silver chain with silver rose charm around her neck, "Will you be ready to face the public?"

She sighed as she fingered the rose necklace and allowed him to place earrings on her earlobes. Her breath hitched as she felt his warm breath caressed her bare neck ever so quickly before he moved to the next ear. "I may not like it, but I must. It's time I step up and take my father's place as the head of the Phantomhive in public's eyes."

He slipped the golden Phantomhive signet ring and the blue diamond ring onto her lace covered fingers and replied, "you will do just splendid." He stepped back and grinned at her, "Even as Lady Phantomhive who could not do much isn't worth the salt."

"Shut up." Ciel snapped as she brushed past Sebastian, and she swore she heard him chuckle lightly behind her.

 **LadyCielPhantomhiveLadyCielPhantomhiveLadyCielPhantomhive**

I need to bring the story up to speed and get to where I want it to be. This chapter is touching a little bit of here and there and yes, I realize it is not canon to the series. Like I said, I am basing my knowledge on only two seasons of Kuroshitsuji and first two manga volumes. I also have been reading and researching online to get some ideas. I am going to try my best to keep the characters true to themselves but yes, there's likely they will be OCC. I have some ideas how I want the story to go, but not fully fleshed out. Thank you for reading.


	3. My Butler, the Sheild, and Sword

**The Redemption of the Devil**

 **Chapter Two: My Butler, the Shield, and Sword**

Pulling the black jacket tighter around her frame as her eye remained fixed on the three graves before her. She has not been to the Phantomhive Cemetery since her return and now a year after the incident, she stood there. Three graves, two bodies six feet underground. She presumed family members, perhaps the Midfords or her Aunt An had arranged for their funeral, assuming three of them had died in the fire. Her father was on the left, her mother was on the right and in the center was her own, empty. All three had the same death dates, however, her's was crossed out recently. The air was bitter cold, the sky gloomy gray and promising snowstorm soon.

Sebastian stepped up next to her after a long while holding out the roses of silver white. She turned to him and gazed at the sterling roses, guessing they came from the greenhouse rose garden. The scent of the roses was heady and she inhaled them, they were her favorite. She took them from his hands and laid few on her father's grave, murmuring a short prayer and moving onto her mother's grave doing the same. Finally, with a single rose in her hand, she stood before her own and held the rose up to the taller man and said softly without looking at him, "turn it blue."

He smiled his placid yet sly smile and touched the rose, it turned brilliant blue before settling to midnight blue. "How fitting, my lady."

She hummed in agreement, inspecting the rose before laying it on her own grave, "someday eventually. Come, Sebastian, I fancy a trip to London." She turned and walked out of the cemetery, her butler in tow toward the waiting carriage.

Slipping in, she sat on the bench facing forward and Sebastian sat with his back to the front, facing his young mistress. Her eye met his and he banged the roof above him, "to London." The carriage gave start and rolled, bouncing gently over the snow crusted road. The snow began to fall softly. He glanced out of the window and softly commented, "the weather will hold but turn ugly later tonight. Let's limit the trip to London for a couple of hours."

Ciel turned her head to the window and nodded. "Sound good. Tell me, has there been any lead since that night?"

Sebastian turned back to the young girl before him. "I regret to report there have not been much of any leads. Apparently, with the loss of the majority of their members in the fire along with other children, they felt it was best to remain low for the time being."

She turned her sharp eye to the man, "but it has been a year! How long would they remain hidden?"

Sebastian's lips curled up slightly, enjoying the sharp tang of annoyance from her. The strong and defiant her soul is, the more delicious it would be. "Indeed, it has been," he agreed, "I believe they would begin to think it is safe and rear their heads soon enough."

"Good."

The carriage bounced slightly, nearly shaking Ceil out of her seat and she scowled prettily. Sebastian had to bite back a laugh as he helped to right her up.  
"Recently, I unearthed some information and now would be a good time for you to be aware of it," he gestured to the silent carriage except for the sound of clopping hooves of the Clydesdale horses and the rattle of the wheels. "When we are alone." He noticed her curious look and smirked, drawing a hint of annoyance from her once again, "your father, Vincent Phantomhive, wasn't just an Earl and a businessman of the Funtom Company."

"What do you mean?" She asked, curiosity in full peak.

"He was also the Queen's Watchdog, especially over the underworld. It appears he was involved in something rather dark and servicing the Queen as a liaison or rather, police especially with cases that involves things within the shadows."

"You mean, like such as yourself?" She asked glancing down to the silver and blue ring on her thumb, caressing the shining stone. The stone was so blue that the shade matched her eye perfectly and it was known as the Hope Diamond. Rather cursed like her own family, she fleetingly thought amusedly to herself.  
He bowed his head, "precisely. It apparently is something your family has been for generations, passing down from father to son."

She huffed a cloud of condensation in the cold air, "but he has no son, so it ends with him."

Sebastian shook his head lightly, "I think not. This gives us an advantage..." He saw the lightbulb go off in her head and grinned cattily, "yes, my lady."

"So," she tapped her gloved finger on her chin. "If I find a way to become the Queen's Watchdog and continue the Phantomhive legacy, I will be able to find the ones I wish to find?"

"Yes, my lady."

"Sebastian, this is an order." She reached up and flipped the lace gauze that covered her right eye, the symbol glowed, "find a way for me to become the Queen's Watchdog."

Sebastian closed his eyes, hand over his heart, bowing his head and grinning, "as you wish, my lady."

They reached London and spent the next two hours casually going around the marketplace. It had been the first time since she left the Phantomhive manor since that night. It was her first public appearance and she knew it. People gasped and whispered around her, store clerks stumbled to serve her each time she stepped in the store.

After a couple of hours, she was beginning to feel tired and decided it was time to return home. Together, she and Sebastian started back to their carriage.  
"Lady Phantomhive?" A man voice stopped her and she turned, curious to who had called her.

She looked up to see an older man with a serious face, graying sideburns and long ponytail under a bowl hat. She gave a small smile and dipped slightly in courtesy, she looked like a miniature lady, dressed in a dark gown, fashionable hat on her head and coat over her shoulder and a black umbrella serving as a cane in her lace gloved hand. "Yes?" She replied politely.

The man looked taken aback at her air of maturity and snootiness underneath the coy mask. It unnerved him, knowing the young missus is only twelve years old, however as he saw her blue eye looking up at him, he realized the girl was mature beyond her age and perhaps had seen more than a grown man should have seen in his entire life. The man standing behind her, he could see, was a butler but his red eyes set off a warning flag in the back of his head. "My name is Sir Arthur Randall of the Scotland Yard. I am pleased to see you out and about after a year. I regret not being able to talk to you of the indecent." He took his bowl hat and bowed in the manner before replacing it.

The courteous smile slid off her face as she glared at the man. "Hm. Thank you and yes, I am aware of Scotland Yard attempts to contact me. It is over and behind me and there is nothing more needed to know." She then brightened with a fake smile, "pleased to meet you. I am sure we will be seeing more of each other then."

Arthur frowned, "what?"

"Oh," she tittered behind her hand, flashing her silver and blue ring. She saw his eyes connect to the jewel and widened. She knew it was her father's ring and her grandfather's before that. With learning of the Phantomhive family being the Queen's Watchdog, she connected the symbolism of the ring to the title. It was enough to send the man reeling. She dipped before replying, "like the Funtom Company, I'll be taking my father's other roles. Good day to you, Sir Arthur Randall." With that, she turned and walked off. Sebastian bowed, smiling at the astounded man and turned to follow his mistress.

Arthur stared after the two, watching them climb into the carriage, noticing the butler took extra care to lift his lady in. "Surely not... The Queen's Watchdog?" He shook his head and wiped his clammy brow with his handkerchief. "It is not a place for a young lady or a girl for that matter." He murmured to himself and walked away.

 **LadyCielPhantomhiveLadyCielPhantomhiveLadyCielPhantomhive**

Sebastian pushed the tray into the office where Ciel sat before a large desk. She looked like a tiny fae dwarfed by the furniture and the room itself. He smirked at the concept, she appeared to not belong there but with the burden of her family's legacies. She would be often found in the office doing both the business works and lessons and occasionally doing the Queen's Watchdog duties. Making his way to her side and he silently prepared the tea to perfection and turned to her, seeing her push the papers aside and softly told her, "English tea with roses from the summer garden." He took out a letter from his jacket, "and an important letter."

Taking the teacup and the letter, she noticed the Royal Family seal on the back and broke it to open it.

To Lady Ciel Phantomhive,  
First of all, I would like to express my deepest regret for the loss of your family. I am thankful to God for your safety. Included in the letter is an invitation for a decoration ceremony that will be on 17th of March at 10 am at the Buckingham Palace. Therefore, I would like to return to you the land and title that were temporarily given back to the royal family in the absence of a lord. I look forward to meeting you and would want to have a private tea with you to discuss some matters.  
Victoria.

"Rather personal for the Queen of England," Ciel remarked softly as she finished reading the letter.

"I agree," Sebastian said as he handed her a fresh cup of tea. "We will need to hurry and have some gowns made for an audience. It is soon."

"Yes. I do not favor the idea of having to be fitted but for this, I suppose." Ciel murmured, placing her empty tea cup down. She tossed the letter aside, "some matters. What do you think?"

Sebastian simply smiled as he took the teacup and placed it away. "It is clear that the Queen isn't one for frivolity talk."

"Yes," Ciel replied a shade darkly.

She hummed and took the tea from him. She took a sip before asking, "The Queen wish to meet with me soon. I wonder, would it be regarding my father's position as the Queen's Watchdog?"

"That and perhaps, granting the title of Duchess since you have been actively taking roles as the heiress of the late Earl Phantomhive," Sebastian replied as he watched her take more sip of the tea and scan the papers before her. They have managed to uncover her father's journals and files from the townhouse in London that day she went for a shopping trip. What they had gathered barely scratched the surface. She sighed in annoyance as she placed her cup down.

"This is not enough." She gestured to the papers before her on the desk, strewn about. She had been reading and re-reading them all morning, trying to piece the puzzles together. "Whatever my father had, everything, all burned down with the old manor."

Sebastian nodded, "it seems so, my lady." He took the cooling tea, knowing she would not drink anymore and placed it aside. He turned back and picked up a paper, "we know enough here that he has connections with some people."

She looked up at him, a small frown on her face, "yes. I must make appointments with them soon. I am concerned with how they would accept me, in their eyes, I am only an twelve years old girl."

"Yes." Sebastian smirked, "you should be playing with dolls and having teas with girls your ages. Speaking of such, Lady Elizabeth Midford is expected to come next Friday afternoon with her mother, Marchioness Francis Midford."

Ciel shot him a glowering glare, "I am not a child! I have not played with dolls in a long time and will not ever again!" she snapped. He smiled benignly at her and pushed the tea tray away, she glowered at him and retorted at his back before he disappeared, "Shut up!" She threw a book at the closing door, it thumped loudly and fell to the floor with a smack. She sighed and rubbed her head, feeling a headache coming on.

Ciel and Sebastian made their way to the Buckingham Palace early in the morning, riding through London from the manor. She had been dressed in royal blue with gold accent. The gown was designed with a cut that made her look more mature and similar to the military style rather than laces and frills. Her long gray hair tied up in tight coif with bangs hanging down over her eye-patch, curling at the end. Sebastian had found a seamstress that understood Ciel's preference in styles and made the gown quickly enough.

The ceremony was not a large one but many other Earls and Lords had made their attendance to witness the ceremony. Many of them had a reservation for a young girl to granted a title so soon but dared not to object to the Queen.

Sebastian stood at the back of the room, watching as the Queen place the decorative chain around Ceil's neck. It was intended to be for an Earl but since there was no male left in the Phantomhive household to receive the title, only Ciel, a female one. She is being granted the title of a Duchess, a title equal to the Earl. In so, if Ciel were to ever marry someday, the man would have to be an Earl or of higher rank to adopt and carry on the title of Earl Phantomhive or else she remain the head of the house until a son is born. But how would Ciel play out the future? A stab of doubt rang in him as he watched Ciel formally bow before the Queen.

"You should be up front, you're good as family to Ciel by now." Sebastian glanced over his shoulder to find Madame Red, also known as Aunt An. He gave her a friendly smirk, "it would be presumptuous to call myself something like family. Because I am just one hell of a butler."

Madam Red bowed her head and patted Sebastian's arm before passing him to sit in the audience, "nonetheless, you have done more for Ciel than anyone else could ever have in these time."

He bowed slightly until she was gone.

After the ceremony had ended, everyone was shown to reception and Ciel was found in the hallway alone, staring out of the window deep in thought. Sebastian approached her, the doubt gnawing and growing in him. Perhaps, he should be done with her. She has achieved everything with his help and has more than what a mortal could've ever wanted. A year recovering from the ordeal, rising up in the business and finally taking back the title of her family's name.

He approached her and softly spoke, "Now you're officially a Duchess." He saw her shift her good eye to him, "The status, the fortune, possible suitors lining up for your hand in marriage. You have it all."

Ciel turned away from him, frowning. His eyes glowed demonically and his teeth lengthened. So, it seems. He thought to himself and his voice rasped softly and if anyone heard him, chills would've gone down their spine. But not Ciel, she knew his voice and do not fear him despite his true identity. "Would you live on in happiness with everything you have now and throw away the foolishness of the revenge?" His form begun to waver and shift slightly, ready to finish this contract once for all. If she changed her mind, the flavor of her soul would change. He did not want that.

She softly replied, "It does not sound so bad…" Then suddenly she turned sharply to him, her cloak and gown swirled almost too dramatically. Holding back his true form, he saw the blazing anger on her face and smirked, relishing in the bright soul that he knew she has. He fell to his knee, bowing before her as a butler would do. "Foolish!" She snapped at him, "You think I would give that up? All I have come back for happiness? I came back to fight! As Duchess Ciel Phantomhive, there's no other way to go but forward." She stood resoundingly still, determined as she ever was when he first met her. "I'll stake this on the name of Phantomhive that I will definitely attain my revenge." And with a softer tone, she reached out to touch his cheek as he had knelt before her and leaned forward that her lips barely touched his ear, "and you will have my soul." Her lips grazed his cheek as she stood back up.

He grinned most devilishly as his eyes glowed before settling to blood hue, "Yes, my lady." All doubts he had washed away and he watched as she turned her back, striding forward with pride and dignified pace. Before she went far enough, she paused and spoke, "This is an order, Sebastian." Her voice carried back to him strongly, "you will be my sword and shield and bring me victory."

He stood up and bowed his head with his hand over his heart, "As you wish, my lady."

A servant in white approached them and bowed to Ciel, "My lady, the Queen would like to see you now. Please follow me."

Ciel tilted her head and followed the servant. Sebastian followed close behind. Soon, they were ushered into a private room and the Queen was sitting on the couch, taking a sip from her teacup. She smiled at Ciel and waved her in to sit in the chair across from her. Sebastian moved to stand beside and slightly behind Ciel.

Ciel curtsied before the Queen while Sebastian bowed. "Thank you for inviting me to sit with you for tea, Queen Victoria." She told the older matronly woman. She sat down and accepted a tea cup from one of the servants in white.

"Please, call me Victoria. I am happy you came. I understand it is unusual for a young girl like yourself to take on the responsibility the title hold. You're in for a difficult time, especially with getting people to accept your title, but if anyone were to give you much trouble, don't hesitate to write to me."  
Ciel took a sip and smiled, "I am sure I will be fine. I am a Phantomhive after all and they will know that."

Victoria studied the girl before her, so small and so young. But she can see the time and wisdom in the bright blue eye, making her appear far much older and wondered how much has the girl had seen. She caught the silver and blue ring on the girl's thumb, an understanding came to her and she placed her teacup down, becoming serious. She waved her hands and the majority of the servants left the room, leaving only two standing behind her couch.

Ciel has noticed the difference in most of the Queen's servants. The one that attended closely to the Queen appeared slightly different from the rest, silver hair, violet eyes, and white uniform. They appeared almost like celestial soldiers. She could tell things were going to get serious and placed her tea down and folded her hands on her laps, to receive what would come.

Victoria regarded Sebastian and gestured to him, "is he trustworthy for what I would discuss with you?"

Ciel glanced up to Sebastian and noticed his placid smile on his handsome face. She nodded and turned back to the Queen, "I trust him with my life. He is not only just my butler but my guard and caretaker. He knows everything about me that others do not know. You could say, he is my right hand, my shield, and sword."

"Very well." The older woman arranged her skirt before settling her hands to lay on them. "what I wish to speak to you about is your family's duty to me. I am not sure if you are aware of it and I need to see if it is necessary for me to withdraw the duty until the time is right or allow it to continue."

Ciel nodded and lifted her hand up to show the ring to the queen, "I am aware of it. I have recently uncovered some of my father files, what was left of it since the majority of them were gone in the fire."

"So," The Queen stood up and walked around the couch to pace slightly before the fireplace in the room. "Being the Queen's Watchdog is not an easy job, especially for a child like yourself. Your father had served me very well while he was alive and I regret that he died so young. The Phantomhives, for many generations, has served the Royal family as the agent in the shadow and keeping what's within under control. It is a dangerous job and I do not think it would be proper for one so young and small like you to take on responsibility."

Ciel stood up and walked around to meet the Queen in mid-stride. She looked like a tiny waif compared to the older grandmotherly woman. Looking up seriously into the gray-haired woman's face, "I've seen enough and came back stronger. I can take what the shadows would dish out to me. Someone out there is responsible for my parents' death and my despair, I will carry on the Phantomhive's duty as the Queen's Watchdog to uphold my family's legacy and honor, as well to find those who were responsible and make them pay."

Queen Victoria almost stepped back at the intensity of the girl's resolute. She nodded softly, "I see. There's no protecting your innocent soul."

"Who says my soul is innocent?" Ciel replied.

Staring into the blue eye that stared back, she saw the shadow and darkness swirling in them and gave a single nod. "Very well. I'll allow you continue with your father's duty. You've shown to all of us that you are capable enough of bringing the Funtom Business to its height in a short time and integrating into the social as a Lady of the Phantomhive household. One wrong move as my watchdog, you know what happened to dogs that misbehave?"

Ciel narrowed her eye, "I understand clearly. I will not fail you." Her hands had clenched so tightly by her sides in the fold of her gown. Only Sebastian could smell the tang of blood, knowing Ciel's nails had cut into her palms. "If that would be all, I'll take your leave."

Queen Victoria nodded and watched as Ciel turn to join Sebastian's side. The two of them bowed and turned to leave. She frowned and murmured to her servant that joined her side, "so young to be subjected to the legacy of the family. It is indeed a cursed family. She's a beautiful child, I would hate to see her end."

"Her fate has long been written out for her." Her servant replied.

Sebastian helped Ceil into the carriage and moved to sit beside her rather than the opposite of her. She said nothing as the carriage moved on, taking them home. He reached out and pulled the leather gloves off her hands, he could see she had clenched her hands so tightly that her nails broke through couple layers of soft lambskin and cut into her palm, leaving four bloody crescents on each palm. "Ah, you really should not allow anyone get to you." He bit back the desire to lick her hand, the blood smelled so enticing. He reached to pull out the handkerchief.

She glanced over to him as he was about to dab her hand clean. She noticed the tint of pink demonic glow fighting to overtake his red iris. She withdrew her hand and brought it closer to her face to inspect the bloody crescent. They were still bleeding. Perhaps she needed her nails to be trimmed shorter. "She was right, it will be difficult to move on from being a small girl I am. I guess I'll have to prove them wrong." She lifts her hand to his face, close to his lips. "Lick them clean."

The handkerchief dropped to his lap as he gently took her hand and smirked, "as you wish, my lady." His tongue darted out and licked the blood off her hand softly and slowly. She watched from the corner of her eye and held back the shiver as his eyes glowed.

 **LadyCielPhantomhiveLadyCielPhantomhiveLadyCielPhantomhive**

The Friday afternoon came too soon for the young lady of the house. She stood at the top of the staircase in the foyer, watching as Sebastian held the door open. She could see beyond the open door where Finnian helped the tall beautiful middle age woman out of the carriage, followed by a young girl her age. Sebastian bowed and took the woman's hat and shawl. Ciel can see her aunt inspecting the butler with critical eyes and nearly rolled her own eyes when she heard her aunt comment, "your hair is improper, butler."

Stepping down the stairs and replying before Sebastian could say anything, "his hair is fine as it is. He is my butler, not yours, Aunt Francis. Welcome."  
The woman gave a sniff and turned to her young niece, "Ciel, dear. It's good to see you well."

"CIEL!" The young girl with blond hair and emerald eyes cried out as she rushed forward and gathered up her cousin in a bear hug. It was clear that Elizabeth was taller and healthier than Ciel. "Oh! It's been so long! I've missed you!"

Ciel coughed and patted her cousin's back before attempting to pry herself out of the vice grip, "yeah, Lizzie. It's good to see you again too." When she was finally free, she brushed her skirt and tugged her jacket and stood straight. "Please, let's adjoin to the garden sunroom for tea." She gestured the way and her aunt nodded in agreement. Lizzie smiled and grabbed Ciel's hand as they went.

"I wish you would come and stay with us, let us take care of you," Francis said as she took a sip of her tea. Her daughter nodded beside her mother.  
Ciel closed her eyes and gave a placid smile, "I am fine now. Thank you. I needed time to myself to recover. I have my servants taking care of me."  
Francis glanced over to Sebastian who were serving them crumpets and biscuits, "A butler? It is improper for a man to be serving a young lady like yourself personally."

Ciel gave a wry smile over to her butler who had been grinning like a cat behind the shadow of his own hair. "He has been good to me. In fact, it is Mey-Rin that serves me in the bedroom, so there is nothing to worry about. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Sebastian. He helped to get this household back in shape and managed the staff. Tanaka is getting on in his age."

"I see." Francis murmured into her teacup.

Desperate to change the uncomfortable subject, Ciel asked, "How is the family?"

The older woman smiled as she held her teacup on her lap, "Alexis is doing good, staying busy as usual doing his duty as the Marquis of Midford. Half of the time, he is hardly around but that's understandable. Edward is at Weston College. In his last letter, he reports that he had been made Perfect for the Green House. He is upholding the Medford's name honorably."

"Oh, that is wonderful news," Ciel replied and had to bite back a small laugh as she noticed Lizzie looked like she was going to burst at the seam.  
When the silence filled the air, giving a pause in the conversation, Lizzie burst out, "He is coming home for the summer, I can't wait to see him again! It's been a long while!"

"That's right, he did not come home for the winter recently?" Ciel asked.

Francis nodded, "yes, we were disappointed but being a young man and wanting to see the world with his friends. He opted to go to India for few weeks before school started again. I hear India is beautiful."

The younger Midford giggled, "Edward writes that the women there wear much fewer clothes and in silk! I wonder if it is soft as English silk? He said the color is very bold and bright!"

Ciel smirked in her tea amusedly, her cousin has been naive to the world and find about everything fascinating with good intention. Her smile faded, unlike her, everything isn't rose-colored and she saw through shadows and darkness. "Sound exotic. Do give him my regard next time you see him."

Lizzie looked like she would bounce in her seat if it weren't for her mother, " Oh, Ciel! Mother want to plan a ball for my birthday by the end of the summer! You must come! Edward will be there and he asked about you." Lizzie gushed, almost bouncing at the statement.

Ciel looked to her cousin and smiled slightly. "Is that so? I will make sure to come."

Francis gave a small, almost tight smile. "Elizabeth is turning thirteen and it will be her coming of age ball. You are turning thirteen by the end of the year, a ball should be planned soon as possible for you."

Ciel shook her head, "no. I rather not."

Lizzie frowned, "why ever not. It's perfect to be introduced into the society! To put yourself out for the suitors and dance with them." She blushed at the thought.

"No. I am already out in the society with the business and being the Duchess. It's trifling enough."

The older woman nearly narrowed her eyes at her niece but composed, "Ciel, love. It is not right for a woman, let alone a young lady like yourself, be meddling in men's business."

Lizzie shot a glance to her mother and worried her lips, she knew when her mother is at her disagreeable mood and this was it. Shooting another glance at Ciel, she bit back a gasp, finally seeing the scowl hinting on Ciel's face. She realized then that her younger cousin had grown up and is far beyond her age, almost unreachable. "I need to use the water closet." Lizzie piped in, hoping to ease the tension building up and excuse herself from the two stubborn women.

Ciel snapped her finger and called out, "Mey-Rin," knowing the maid is outside the sunroom waiting to be called. The said maid came in and bowed, "see Lizzie to the water closet."

"Yes, my lady." Mey-Rin softly replied and turned to the blond girl and gestured to the door. The girl hops up and followed the maid out.

Francis watched as her daughter leave the sunroom with Mey-Rin and turned back to her niece once they were out of sight. "Ciel, there are things that your father had dabbled in before he died and I implore you to not get involved. You are far too young and innocent to take on the full responsibility your father left behind, unintentionally or not. I strongly encourage you to reconsider my offer by coming to live with us and let us take care of you. You should be living a life of a proper young woman. Leave the unsavory things to your future husband."

Ciel glanced at her aunt with her good eye, her face devoid of any emotions and her voice even, "and let you and Uncle Alexis parade me around for any suitors? That I should sit aside and do embroidery, drink tea and gossip? Eventually, marry some stuffy lord and let him take over the Phantomhive legacies and run it down to the ground?" She saw her aunt's face pinch at this. She turned fully and leaned forward, her voice dropped a level and a frown appeared over her good eye, "I am aware of what my father dealt with. I know of the services the Phantomhive does for the Queen. I intend to follow through and continue the legacy that the family had carried on for several generations and uphold it with honor." She saw her aunt pale and smirked. Her aunt paled even further as Ciel continued, "I will not sit around idly, do things what society think a proper young lady should do. I am no longer that person. In fact, that little innocent Ciel died that night. I am a rubies woman, no man would want me." A gasp echoed from the older woman and Ciel stood up and looked down at her distraught aunt, "I am Duchess Ciel Phantomhive, the heiress to the Phantomhive and I am fully aware what it entitles to be the Queen's Watchdog. I have seen what is within the shadow." She turned and walked around the table to her shocked aunt, "forgive me, I am no longer in any form to receive guests. Give Lizzie and everyone else my love. Thank you for coming and have a safe trip home." She leaned down and gave the older woman a kiss on the cheek and softly replied with restrained emotions, "I'm afraid when something is truly lost, one can never get it back again." then she walked to the door. "Sebastian, have their carriage brought around and see them off for me. I am going to retire to my room for the evening. I will take dinner there."

Sebastian bowed, "as you wish, my lady." He remained there as she walked past, glancing side-way, he caught Ciel's face and realized the young mistress was on the verge of cracking with rage and other emotions. So, Marchioness Francis must have angered Ciel in some way. He does not like to deal with upset Ciel, the girl is troublesome and bothersome as it is if upset or angry. He very much prefers her obstinate and crass when she can be, it is far much more amusing than the former. He stood up and entered the sun-room to find the older woman pale and shaking, "Madame? Would you like anything while I call for the carriage? Perhaps a glass of scotch?" He asked with a smile on his face.

Marchioness Francis looked up to the butler and frowned as she attempted to calm down. "Thank you, no." Sebastian gave a nod and gathered the tea cups and placed them on the tray, she watched him move with ease and asked, "is she really ruined that she believe she would not be accepted by any man?"

He tilted his head to her, his eyes studying the older woman. He could see some likeness between the woman and the former head of Phantomhive, Vincent while he considered his answer, "These things are something Lady Ciel do not easily divulge." He stood back up, "what had transpired that time indeed changed her, moving her beyond the reach of anyone," with that he rolled the tray out of the room.

The woman had composed herself enough to appear if she had never been upset and greeted her daughter with false cheerfulness. Interesting woman, Sebastian thought and called to Finnian to bring the carriage around.

As the carriage came and giving the two ladies their hats and shawls, he helped them in, first Lizzie and then Francis. The woman paused before entering the carriage, turning halfway at the top step to Sebastian, "I am not sure where you came from and I have been told that it was you who found her and came to her rescue. A warning for you, from a former Phantomhive; the family is cursed and I fear for my niece Ciel. Protect her."

Sebastian eyes seemed to glow and he bowed slightly, hand over his heart as he replied, "I am Lady Ciel's shield and sword, your warning is noted."  
Francis regarded Sebastian for a moment and nodded before entering the carriage.

Ciel stood at her bedroom window, watching as the carriage leave the ground. She had witnessed her aunt and Sebastian passing some words but knew Sebastian would not imply any falsehood despite who he is.

With learning of the family's position as the Queen's Watchdog, it brought some understanding and insight into the possible connection of her parents' death and her suffering and humiliation. She had been correct, her innocence had died that night.

"My lady?" Sebastian asked as he entered her bedroom, finding Ciel standing before the window. He wondered how long she had stood there, the sky was already dark and he held a tray with her dinner.

She blinked and turned to find him approaching her. Ah, where had the time gone? She had been lost in thought and shook her head, moving to take a seat at her small table and allowed Sebastian prepare her plate and put the napkin on her lap. He turned back to prepare her drink, pouring a glass of wine. She took a bite of the savory veal, chewing but not tasting and swallowed. She asked, "did they leave all right?" He tilted his head at the question and smiled, handing her glass of wine. "Yes. Your Aunt Francis is some woman."

Ciel gave a weak chuckle. "Growing up a Phantomhive, she knows what it is like. That is why she is hard and proper as she is. Lizzie is fortunate to be sheltered, I would not be surprised if she managed to have a suitor by the end of the year, perhaps a fiancée." She took another bite, the food was beginning to calm her and she continued to eat her dinner in silence. She looked up to Sebastian after her plate had cleared, meeting his red eyes, "was I right to suspect that being the Queen's Watchdog is what led to my family's demise?"

Sebastian only smiled at her and replied, "only one way to find out."

Ciel scowled, "of course." She stood up and moved to the two wingback chairs in front of the fireplace, a small round table was set up in between and a board of chess game was set upon it. She fingered the chess pieces, on one side, were silver figurines of the Romans and on the other sides were gold figurines of Vikings. She picked up the Viking Queen and held it up to inspect the fine details, "so, the game begins."

Sebastian smiled to himself as he watched Ciel. He saw the young lady as the Queen of one side of the board, making a motion to move the pawns. He knew which role he played on the board. He was the black knight, the one that can move anywhere across the board with unlimited power under the order of his little queen. Indeed, the game had begun.

 **LadyCielPhantomhiveLadyCielPhantomhiveLadyCielPhantomhive**

I have just recently finished watching Book of Circus and I found the story very interesting and look forward to the next season next year with the Luxury Liner.  
I have already outlined how I wanted this story to be and from what it look like, it will be three parts with roughly around 30 chapters in total. The chapters would be around the length of this chapter, some longer or some shorter. The first part will be following the first season of the anime series and the second part as well for the second season. However, the third part will branch off, I still have not yet decided how I want to approach it even though I know how I want to end it. I will not be exactly following how the story goes, there will be changes in approach with Ciel being a female especially during late Victorian Era. If you have read most of my other stories, you know you'll be in for a treat with this one as well.  
I'd love to hear your feedbacks. Thanks for reading.

On extra note: Fan fiction . net is being most uncooperative in uploading this very chapter on Safari. I had to switch to using Firefox and fix a lot of things here. If there is any problem, let me know.


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